Cuttington University Signs MOU with Mississippi State University, Other

Gbarnga, Bong County – Cuttington University (CU) in Suakoko, Bong County, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mississippi State University (MSU). Founded on February 28, 1878, MSU is a Land Grant institution and as the third largest American State-run university, is a leader in Agrobusiness, innovative research, and community service. 

Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]

In welcoming the partnership with Cuttington University, the MSU Provost, Dr. Judith Bonner, termed Dr. Herman Browne’s visit an opportune moment to expand the boundaries of partnerships and by signing this instrument, set the contours of a potentially exciting journey together.

According to a dispatch, this five-year memorandum of understanding provides  for faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects in areas of mutual interest, and  study abroad opportunities for faculty for advanced degrees. 

The areas of  particular interest to CU and MSU were in developing community service capacity; innovative food systems (aquaculture, food preservation); animal and planet (environmental) health; health care (pediatric, maternal and geriatrics); and early childhood education (development and special needs). 

The next step, according to the release, will involve a visit to Cuttington from MSU to discuss the details of how they will operationalize this collaborative enterprise. 

University of the South Welcome Dr. Brown

Meanwhile, the University of the South last week welcomed partnership with the first (4-year, co-Ed, degree granting) private university south of the Sahara. 

The disclosure was made last week when Cuttington University’s president, Dr. Brown, served as guest of the University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee, USA. 

The University of the South, founded in 1857, is owned by 28 dioceses of the Episcopal Church with a strong liberal arts tradition, and features large among the colleges and universities of the Anglican Communion.

Historically, the early missionaries, who impacted the work of the Episcopal Church in Liberia, were trained at School of Theology at Sewanee, and relations with Liberia are maintained and cherished to this day. 

The purpose of his visit, according to Brown, was to widen the scope of this relationship to include engagement with the arts and sciences, to familiarize himself more closely with the vision and priorities of the institution and explore avenues of collaboration and support for Cuttington. 

The more specific fields of History, Global Politics, Environmental Studies, Agribusiness, and Theology were discussed as possible primary areas for mutual engagements, Dr. Brown disclosed.

In welcoming this partnership, the Vice Chancellor expressed an interest in visiting Liberia and looked forward to sharing in conversations that would further the interests of both institutions in formal and concrete ways.